Kintsugi Artisan

Instead of throwing a broken bowl away, you join it back together with gold. That is kintsugi, the Japanese art of repair. Here you are the artisan of the workshop. You fit the shards of each piece back together, then run gold along the seams with your finger. The damage is never hidden. It becomes the best part of the bowl, and the mended piece ends up more beautiful than it was before it broke. ■ Three simple steps 1. Fit the shards Tap a shard to select it, turn it with the dial below, and drag it home. When the position and angle match, it snaps into place. 2. Run the gold Trace each seam with your finger. Rush and the line grows thick and unsteady. Draw slowly and the line stays calm. 3. Polish Rub the gold lines with your finger and the dull gold begins to shine. Polish them all and the piece is finished. ■ What is inside - 72 vessels across 12 chapters, from teacups and teapots to a beckoning cat and a goldfish bowl. No vessel appears twice - Every break is created on the spot, so the same bowl never gives you the same pattern twice - Name each finished piece and display it in your gallery - Short notes on kintsugi and Japanese ceramics ■ Made for you if - You want something quiet to do with your hands - You love Japanese crafts, ceramics and antiques - You are looking for a puzzle that never rushes you ■ Going deeper The more you mend, the higher your rank climbs, through four levels from apprentice to master. New rank brings new metals: silver, red lacquer and blue gold. Each repair is graded on three levels, and the more careful your line, the higher the grade. There is no timer. Take your time, one piece at a time, and watch broken things turn beautiful in your hands.